


You and Me (They say it's destiny)

by ddang_ (SunMars)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Accidental Bonding, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Bonding, Coming of Age, Friends to Lovers, High School, If I ever think about other tags I'll add them later, Likereallybriefangst, M/M, Mates, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, SuperSlightAngst, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:02:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29716905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunMars/pseuds/ddang_
Summary: "What is worse and many times more ridiculous, pathetic and obvious than his crush on Taeyong, is his crush on Donghyuck. Everyone seems to notice it before he notices it himself, and then after he finally admits his feelings out loud it gets worse because Donghyuck still doesn't notice it."Or: Mark grows up to love his best friend, even when it's so dangerous to do so.Alternative title: Mark is dumb and in love.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Mark Lee, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 4
Kudos: 153





	You and Me (They say it's destiny)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there!
> 
> So, I wrote this back during "We Go Up" era while being emotional over Mark's graduation from Dream unit. I published the spanish version on my wattpad acc (you can read here), and now I decided to translate the fic and publish it here as well. 
> 
> I'm taking some liberties with the bonding thing, and I'll try to explain the changes the better I can during the story (tho this is actually shown in the second chapter or so). 
> 
> Anyways, since english is not my first language, there might be some mistakes or typos or something that works in my head but is actually a mess, so please feel free to point it out so I can fix it. 
> 
> And yeah, well, hope you enjoy.

When Mark meets Donghyuck he thinks the boy is a beta. Donghyuck is loud, bossy, confident and rude, nothing like the Omegas he knows. So he assumes the boy is a beta, and treats him just like that.

He's the first friend he's made on his arrival in Korea, and although most of the time he's annoyed by how loud, obnoxious, smug, and rude Donghyuck can be, he doesn't leave his side. It's easy to be around him and that's enough for Mark who had been stressed out by everything about moving to his parents' homecountry and the doubts about whether he would ever fit in Korea.

His parents absolutely fit; they were both born in korea, so they have acquaintances and old friends, they know the streets, the culture. Everything. And it's almost like they never had moved abroad. His older brother is perfect, so it's no surprise he can do so well in korea; he's a nice person and Mark bets that he can even make friends with the walls if he puts his mind to it, (mostly because he doesn't struggle with the language like him). The problem is Mark and his insecurities, shyness and his big head that thinks too much. After a whole month since they arrived in Seoul, Donghyuck took action and made his life in the new country less lonely, because if it were up to him, he would still be alone, sad and abandoned.

(And it's not that Mark thinks that —actually he does— it's that Donghyuck takes every little moment to remind him so.

"If it weren't for me, you'd be in your room, all alone playing with your little dolls," he had said mockingly, that time when they fought over who would be the captain of the soccer team and Mark had said that first, it weren't dolls but figurines, and that he was totally fine by himself and he didn't need Donghyuck.

The truth is that he does needs hims, and the fight was useless, because Jaemin was choosen captain either way).

(O8)  
🐯☀

It's the middle of spring when his family decides to move to Korea, although technically it's not a family decision; Mark doesn't remember being asked if he wanted to move to the other side of the planet, the only thing fresh in his memory are his tantrums about not wanting to leave, his father's scolding and his older brother's comfort. He had no other choice; he had to go with his parents to another continent, no matter how much he cried, screamed or kicked.

It was set and done.

Mark doesn't like Korea, starting with the fact that now he has to introduce himself as Minhyung everywhere. He doesn't like the language that is so difficult; he hates it when his classmates laugh at him every time he gets tangled up in words and utters badly formed sentences with several English phrases that slip out when he tries to translate things in his head. He does not like how rigid people and things seem to be, because now his actions are limited to whether or not he is well educated, or worse, whether or not that is worthy of an alpha like him. (Mark barely understands what it is to be an alpha, and does not want to be entangled further with the rules to follow.)

All the changes are too frustrating for a child like him, and all he wants to do is go back to Vancouver and make everything simpler.

For Johnny everything seems to be going well, he admits with some envy as he watches his brother leave the garage on his bike to join another group of boys from his age. Mark looks at him from the living room window and sighs wistfully as his brother laughs at who knows what with the other boys. He's bored, and as selfish as it sounds, he wishes Johnny didn't have any friends and would stay and watch TV with him and translate the things he doesn't understand (because, again, Johnny is definitely better with the Korean than he is).

"Why don't you go with your brother?" his mother says with a quiet smile. Mark doesn't have the heart to tell her he doesn't want to try _again._

Again because the day before he tried to go with them and was brutally rejected. But he doesn't say anything, because he's supposed to be trying to make a life in Korea, for his mom and dad, for the new job, and for Johnny too. He doesn't want to get his brother in trouble, he doesn't want to be a burden and above all he doesn't want to admit how terrible his social skills are. (In Canada he had friends, he doesn't remember exactly how he got them, but he had friends. But now in Korea it's really hard to find one single person interested in talking to him - at least one who isn't his strange neighbor). 

Besides, his family seems happy and Mark must be happy for them too. He smiles back at his mother and gets up slowly to go to the garage to get his bike. Johnny and his friends must be long way ahead, so he must hurry if he wanna catch up with them. His neighborhood isn't too crowded so he can ride the bike freely, but Mark still can't go very fast (he's terrified to do so; his dad says it's a lonely neighborhood but you never know where the cars might come from).

His breath begins to fail when he spots Johnny, Taeyong, Jaehyun and Dongyoung, with their bikes on the asphalt and a ball rolling between their legs. They're in front of Yuta's house, which is where they always meet to play (he knows because Johnny always says he'll be at the boy's house) and they laugh as they play. Mark pedals faster and shouts to get their attention when he is closer.

"What?" Yuta says selflessly, almost annoyed and Mark frowns, knowing what was coming.

They are all four years older than he is, and he imagines that it must be annoying for them to have an eight-year-old-brat wanting to be stuck next to them like a piece of gum. Even Mark feels it's annoying, and he's that eight-year-old-brat. Johnny never says anything, but Mark knows that the older boy feels some shame every time he tries to join his group.

"Can I play with you?" he asks, breathlessly and with a little hope that this time they'll say yes. He must have said something wrong because Dongyoung snorts and Yuta puts a face like he's trying to understand his words.

Johnny and Taeyong look at him with pity, as if they knew the answer would be negative, but Mark doesn't look at them, instead he looks directly at Yuta and Jaehyun, who seem to want Mark to disappear. He is still on his bike, with one leg on the asphalt providing balance while he holds on tightly to the handlebars so he doesn't fall; he cannot fall and make a fool of himself in front of the older kids, his brother's friends.

"We are paired, we don't want odd numbers." says Jaehyun, lying through his teeth, because clearly there are five of them and that's not an even number. He can count for god's sake.

"Maybe you can join us tomorrow" Yuta says. 

Johnny and Taeyong accentuate their pitying eyes. Mark scowls again, disgusted that they think he is stupid. Yesterday they told him the same thing, which means that today is tomorrow, and they have said no again.

He is sad and somewhat disappointed, those kids were his only hope, or something like that. He wants to tell Johnny that he should find other friends, that he deserves better friends, because they're all cruel (except for Taeyong and Dongyoung; they're great).

"Oh well, it'll be tomorrow then," he answers with a sigh, lying too because there's no way he'll make a fool of himself in front of them again tomorrow.

With some work, he regains his balance on his bike and turns around to go home, if he's lucky they may still be showing Harry Potter on TV and he can convince his mom to buy watermelon for him.

"Hey, Canada!"

Without even thinking about it, that scream becomes the perfect interruption to his hermit plans, because next to that call comes a soccer ball in the air, which hits Mark's face hard and sends him to the ground when he turns to the side to see who has called him (although he already knows it is his neighbor).

"Donghyuck, you killed him!"

"Of course not!"

Mark sits down on the asphalt, wincing because he probably got his elbows scratched and looks in the direction of the voices; there are four children, probably his age, who come running up. All with dark hair and curious eyes. One of them stands out for having sunkissed skin, and that's who Mark focuses on as they approach. He recognizes him as Donghyuck, his next-door neighbor and Taeyong's younger brother; the two have crossed paths a couple of times and the boy was literally the first person to approach him since he moved in.

"Hey, are you okay?" 

Mark just nods before Donghyuck exclaims, "I told you I didn't kill him!-"

"And I told you to get his attention, not to hit him."

"But it worked, didn't it?

"Ignore them," says one of the children, after seeing how Mark looks at the other two arguing endlessly. "My name's Renjun, what's yours?"

"Mark Lee."

"I'm Jeno, you okay?" asks a black haired one helping him get up from the floor. Mark nods, even though his arms say otherwise. "Those two are Jaemin and Donghyuck. We were wondering if you wanted to play with us-"

"So you can regain some dignity after being rejected by the big boys."

"Donghyuck, don't be rude!"

"It's the truth! Besides, he's my neighbor and he doesn't care, do you, Minhyung hyung?" 

Mark kind of wants to say no, because the times he's met Donghyuck have been uncomfortable for him and he still hasn't decided if he likes the kid or just finds him annoying. But there is also the option of playing, with other children who are potential friends and he really can't refuse that. His social skills are non-existent, so it's now or never. 

He ignores his neighbor and let Jeno and Renjun explain the game.

•••

Korea is not like Canada. While the Western country is all about kindness, freedom and joy, Korea seems to be just about tradition, standards and seriousness. In Canada they are more open about rank, in Korea it is different; there, Mark had to be more self conscious about what he could and could not do because he was an Alpha.

Donghyuck didn't belong in Korea, Mark said to himself after a few weeks of getting to know him (because the boy was still a pain in the back, but he liked him better) and he made sure to express his thoughts aloud to the younger one days later.

"When we're older you'll have to take me with you to Canada, then we can both fit in," Donghyuck said with a smile after Mark finished explaining why Canada was better for them than Korea. 

"Promise."

Mark links his little finger to his and seals his promise.

(11)  
🐯🌞

Omegas somehow grow different; they get to mature before Alphas, and that becomes a reason for Donghyuck to walk around as if he knows everything and more about life than Mark himself, smiling slyly at him and muttering a "You just haven't experienced it yet, hyung" every time Mark asks about scents.

Because that's what it's all about, fuck off body changes and hormones, what really excites his group of friends is the smelling/scenting thing. It doesn't matter that Mark has grew taller, or that his tone voice as been going weird or that next year he will start going to high school; Donghyuck and Renjun can perceive their scents first and that somehow makes them superior.

According to Donghyuck, it's like spending your whole life seeing everything in black and white and suddenly knowing the colors, or something like that, but with your nose. Renjun supports his explanation with a nod.  
  


"Wow, hyung! You stink" says Donghyuck early on the morning of his birthday when Mark and Johnny come to his house to congratulate him. He has one hand covering his nose, and a scowl on his face as he turns aside to let them pass inside, making vague gestures with the other hand towards the living room.

"Now you know what I was talking about!" agrees Renjun scandalously from the armchair of the couch, "no offense, hyung."

Johnny shrugs and after congratulating Donghyuck again, he walks upstairs to Taeyong's room. Mark tries not to think too much about the closeness of the two or the feeling of discomfort in his chest, and concentrates instead on his curiosity about Donghyuck and his newly acquired perception.  
  


"Can you smell?" Asks Mark stupidly, standing in the middle of the room, "I mean, do you smell?...like...people?"

"We all smell things on daily basis, Canada" Donghyuck tells him, as if he is talking with a baby, "but if you're talking about people's scent, then yes... I can perceive them now."

"But you're a beta."

"Did you really believe that?" asks Renjun holding a laugh, and when Mark nods alone he breaks into laughter. The bastard.

"I'm an Omega, you dummy," says Donghyuck then, with a smile on his lips and fun shining in his eyes, "why did you think I was a beta?"

Mark decides not to answer. Renjun, who does know the reasons, starts to laugh.

**...**

Donghyuck's older brother, Taeyong, is an Omega as well, but they are both so different that it is hard to believe they belong to the same rank. Taeyong is quiet, delicate, graceful and overly pretty; he is the epitome of Omegas with his docile and elegant attitude.

Donghyuck is not calm, he keeps running, jumping and shouting at every chance he gets. He likes to make bad jokes, he spends his time glued to all his hyung, hugging and kissing them on the cheek without their permission. Donghyuck is not delicate, and walks with the grace of a newborn reindeer. He goes around dragging his feet, mumbles instead of talking and is rude to his elders. He says inappropriate comments without feeling ashamed and laughs out loud even if there are older people who look at him with disapproval. Donghyuck is not docile, there is no way the boy can be ruled. He's constantly fighting with his teachers over his grades and challenges every alpha who passes him by feeling superior than others. He doesn't let someone get ahead of him in the lunch line just because they are part of a higher rank, and he defends Jeno when someone belittles him for being a beta. And above all, Donghyuck is not pretty. Or at least that's what Mark wants to convince himself of every time he looks at his bright eyes, chubby cheeks and crooked smile.

And a few weeks later when he turns eleven and finally understands what Renjun and Donghyuck are talking about, he discovers that Donghyuck's summer scent is something that can change his mind.

•••

The problem with Donghyuck being an Omega doesn't lie in how stupid Mark feels for not knowing (and that was a lot, because you had to be too stupid, and slow, above all slow, not to know, for two years, that your best friend is an Omega and not a Beta). The problem is that Mark no longer knows how to act around him. He has become more aware of his actions and attentions to the other, and now understands that many of those disapproving looks they got before were not only for Donghyuck, but for him as well.

And being the idiot that he is, he begins to be self-conscious whenever the boy is around. He doesn't let Donghyuck hug him so much or come close to leave sticky kisses on his cheek, nor does he push him back when they play on the video console or compete in a race for whoever gets to the school cafeteria first. He starts to avoid him most of the time, taking refuge in a small group of alphas in his class, saying that Donghyuck can't go with them every time he asks if he can join them. It's stupid behavior, but we've already made it clear that Mark is not the smartest person, in terms of sociability, of all.

"I can't treat him like Renjun, it would be strange. Donghyuck is different" that's what he explains to his older brother, when he decides to look for a solution to his situation.

"And Renjun is?"

"My friend!" Johnny gives him a pointed look, "Ah, he is an omega too."

"So you treat him differently just because he's an Omega?" when Mark nods, Johnny clicks his tongue and shakes his head. "People are more than their ranks, Mark, you should know that."

And he knows it, after all he came from the land of the "freedom". Where no one is judged for anything other than their actions. Where feelings and reason matter more than traditions and rules. But he was so far from the West now, that sometimes he finds it difficult to act the same way with everyone's eyes on him, ready to attack him.

After talking to Johnny he decides it is better to talk to Donghyuck, apologize and make an effort to take his relationship back to the way it was before. But Donghyuck, as in everything else, acts first.

Mark thought he had been pretty subtle about it, in his mind Donghyuck was innocent of the mess of his thoughts, but he forgets that Donghyuck is smarter than that, and he is not like the ordinary Omegas who would go off and lament themselves dramatically. Mark learns this the hard way, and knowing Donghyuck the way he does, he must have seen coming the punch on the cheek that the boy gives him when their families get together for Christmas.

"What was that for?" asks Mark, hissing as he holds up his face with one hand.

"So that you stop acting like a coward, you idiot," answers Donghyuck, clearly upset, shaking the hand he had hit him with. "Do you think I haven't noticed that you avoid me and treat me differently?"

"I don't..."

"You do, what is wrong with you?"

"It's just that... You..."

"Me? what? Don't come blaming me when it was you-..."

"Don't interrupt me, just... Ahg!" Mark runs his hands through his hair and stares at the floor, trying to clean up his head. How can he explain his silly behavior out loud without sounding stupid?

"Tell me, I promise not to laugh if it's something silly."

"It's not... Uhm, it's something like internal conflict, you know? You're an Omega, Donghyuck. I'm supposed to treat you differently, but I don't know how."

"Wow, I didn't think you could be any dumber, but you outdid yourself. Seriously, even I'm surprised."

"Hey!"

Mark frowns and looks up to his friend, and he gets hit on the forehead by the other. He complains about the discomfort, but says nothing else, thinking that if he opens his mouth he could ruin everything again.

"Don't even think about treating me differently because I'm from the "lowest rank", that's bullshit. And if you ignore me again, i won't punch your face but your dick," Donghyuck says quietly, although Mark, who knows him well, can feel the tension in his shoulders and the pain in his eyes. He just nods effusively and lets himself be dragged into the room to open all the gifts they got.

(12)   
🐯☀

According to biology books, Alphas are strong, aggressive and dominant. According to the many myths that haunt the streets, Alphas are hot-blooded, possessive, overbearing and conceited. Neither of them had the word fragile, but that's how Mark felt; fragile. Broken and sad. He bet he looked ridiculous, sitting in the back garden of his house while crying his eyes out.

Maybe he should be more like Johnny, who's handling the situation much better than he is, who's about to fly out the door to beat the crap out of his father, because that's what's expected of him, isn't it? To act like an alpha and get angry and rage against the one who has hurt his own family. But Mark can't do that, because he feels just as hurt and disappointed as his mother. And the person who has hurt them is his father, the man who means, or meant, everything to him.

The foundation of his ideals has been broken and he feels like he no longer knows what to believe. He is somewhat confused, and a part of him wants to hate his father, to hate his cowardice and selfishness, but he cannot. All those good moments, happy moments, travel through his mind and he finds it hard to believe that the same man with the crooked, friendly smile who taught him to ride a bike, and with whom he ate pancakes with maple syrup (because Korean breakfasts are tasteless) is the same man who has left them for another family. How could he look at his face from now on? he doesn't even know if he wants to see him again. Everything is a disaster.

Not surprisingly, Donghyuck shows up jumping the fence that divides their houses, and even though Mark makes a vague attempt to wipe his face with his hands, the tears keep coming and he keeps whining like a little boy. Donghyuck says nothing as he sits down next to him and takes his hand, interlacing his fingers and giving him a squeeze. Mark turns to look at him and finds that he is already looking at him, with understanding and concern shining in his eyes.

Mark is grateful that Donghyuck doesn't say anything and just lets himself be hugged by him, whining on his shoulder and filling his shirt with tears and snot. Donghyuck doesn't let go of him, and with his free hand strokes his hair. Mark cries and cries, until his head hurts, his nose gets blocked and the tears stop, and even then Donghyuck does not ask and just waits for Mark to tell him what is happening.

"He left us" he mumbles after a while, breathing through his mouth. "Found another woman, and bit her. Mom felt it. He left us and said he was sorry with a note." Mark snorts and licks his lips. His mouth tastes salty. "A note. I can't imagine it being better if he had told us personally, but a note?"

"Parents suck," Donghyuck replies, looking up at the sky as if he were thinking of something else. 

"Yeah, they do."

"Fuck you!" The scream is surprising, and Mark doesn't quite understand it, but before he gets time to ask about it, Donghyuck yells again. "Fuck you!"

And Mark does too. 

"How could you?! Fuck you!"

Donghyuck screams again and then it becomes a chain, both of them throwing swearwords to the wind until they run out of air, as if they had run hundreds of kilometers. The tanned boy squeezes his hand again and Mark realizes that he hasn't let go yet. They're still holding hands and just by looking at his tangled fingers something tickles his abdomen.

There is no one else besides who can understand his situation better than Donghyuck, the parents of the rest of his friends are too perfect. Until a few months ago, Mark would have put his parents on that list, but now he's in the middle of a somewhat broken family. It's the same for Donghyuck, even though the brunette never talks about his parents, Mark knows the story. Donghyuck only has his aunt and grandmother, his mother abandoned them when he and Taeyong were still too young, and his father had been sick after that and passed away.

"Everything would be better if we could choose our families," Donghyuck says, breaking the sudden silence that has formed between the two.

"It is, but it just doesn't work the way you're thinking."

The younger looks at him with a raised eyebrow and a smug smile on his lips. "And how do you know what I'm thinking?"

"I know you," Mark shrugs and rubs his nose with his free hand. His head still hurts and his voice has become kinda hoarse, and he feels his cheeks sticky from the tears that have dried up, but he doesn't want to move from there. "You can't choose better parents, but you can choose to be a better parent."

"I won't be one. I'll never have a family," he says, and the confident, serious manner seems too improper in his voice. Mark knows they are getting away from the real point, but prefers not to say anything about it, grateful for the distraction.

"Why not? I want one, with four children and a dog."

Donghyuck laughs. "That's if you get someone stupid and blind enough to notice your ugly, flat ass."

"Hey! No need to insult me "Mark shakes his shoulders together and accompanies the laughter. "You're saying this now, but I bet you will be the first one to get married."

"Well, I don't know, the idea of getting a mate right now sound like hell. I can take care of myself, and I can work to support myself. But maybe in the future I can change my mind." he shrugs and runs a hand through his hair. "All I'm saying is that I don't want children, maybe I'll marry another omega so we can't get pregnant, this is a very fucked up world and right now I don't feel like giving birth to a child in a society like this is a good idea. Ranks are useless, it make omegas believe they're the worst and let alphas be assholes-"

"Ouch," complains Mark, pretending to be in pain.

"Not all alphas, I mean. There are exceptions; like Jaemin, Lucas and like you. Even if I had to marry an alpha, I'd do it with you. Jaemin is unbearable."

Mark looks at Donghyuck feeling his face warmer; he bets that right now he is surely blushing like an idiot. But instead of taking it back and saying it's a joke, or looking at him and making fun of him because he's blushing like a little boy, Donghyuck just looks straight ahead and says nothing else. The tingling in his abdomen intensifies, but Mark decides not to think about it yet.

"Really?"

"Sure, although I would have to be very desperate for that first. 

"So if twenty years from now, or less, you don't get interested in someone, and I don't get someone stupid and blind enough to like me, we could, uh, get married? Really?"

Donghyuck laughs quietly and shakes his head. 

"Yep. And maybe grow watermelons together. I don't know."

"Watermelons, you say?"

"Well, I don't know. You like watermelons, but they could be peaches too."

Peaches are Donghyuck's favorite, he remembers and begins to imagine the two of them in a garden, with the sun over their heads as they eat peaches. His throat dries up and his heart seems to burn up at the thought.

"Sounds horrible though."

"Marrying me?" Mark asks, confused. "You're the one who brought it first!"

"Nah, I mean harvesting fruit, do you know how demanding it is? We could be filthy rich first and then hire someone to grow them for us."

"Oh... Then it sounds like a deal to me."

"Good! If I turn thirty and am desperate enough, I will marry you, Lee Minhyung."

Mark smiles. Donghyuck smiles. And they're still holding hands.

(14)   
🐯☀

When Mark was younger, and we are talking about three years ago or so, he had the biggest crush on Taeyong, Donghyuck's older brother. Taeyong was a person he looked up to too much (and still does, but on a smaller scale), was the one who helped him whenever his math homework got hard and the one who taught him how to dance that time Donghyuck forced him to be his "companion" for the winter dance at school (All their friends said it was totally a date, but Mark insisted he was only a good friend). It was so pathetically obvious to everyone, even Donghyuck who always smacked him on the back of the head when he found him "drooling," as he put it, over his brother. Mark can bet his entire allowance that it was also ridiculously obvious to Taeyong.

But something had happened, something he's not really sure about, but something that makes him concentrate on looking at Donghyuck as if he's the most interesting thing in the room instead of looking at Taeyong like an idiot.

And so to be clear, Donghyuck is not, really, he's not the most interesting thing in the room right now, because they're in the theater watching the movie he's been waiting half a year for, but he can't even look for half a second at Iron Man because the image of Donghyuck's barely lit face has him captivated. His eyes, his button nose, his pink lips and those moles that form a constellation on his cheek.

It's like becoming part of one of those ridiculous romantic comedy movies that Jaemin and Donghyuck love so much; and Mark is the protagonist who is just discovering his feelings. And it's just so, so wrong.

Mark feels like he's been punched in the stomach and knocked out of breath just by watching the brunette popping popcorn into his mouth over and over again, his eyes fixed on the big screen. It's ridiculous. More importantly, it's dangerous.

And Donghyuck doesn't notice, doesn't say anything to him even as they leave the movie theater hours later and just concentrates on discussing his favorite parts with Jeno. Mark tries not to think too much about it, but when he looks aside, Jaemin is looking at him mischievously. And he knows he's fucked up. 

"What?" he asks, feigning ignorance.

"Don't play dumb," says the boy with a mocking smile, "but I'll keep your secret for now, lover boy."

He snorts and rolls his eyes as if what Jaemin said was ridiculous, but soon runs off in Renjun's direction, far, far away from Jaemin, even though his words keep bouncing in his ears.

•••

Mark should not fall in love with Donghyuck, should not fall for him, should not think about him the way he does. It should be forbidden. It is dangerous.

There are many things at risk that would go down the drain if Mark makes an stupid move, like a chain reaction that starts with Mark falling for Donghyuck and ends with their friendship broken. The most logical and reasonable option is to avoid those feelings at all costs. Nip them in the bud. But as Mark thinks about it, he realizes that he can't and won't avoid those feelings, and that they have grown too big, and are now unreachable. Mark is human, and humans are not reasonable. They are not guided by logic but by feelings, and though his feelings may lead him to ruin, Mark treasures them as something precious. For although it is dangerous to fall for Donghyuck, there is nothing wrong with that.

Instead, loving Donghyuck is a precious feeling, something that warms him like rays of sunshine coming through his window on the morning of a summer day.

So he makes a stupid decision, he's good at these things, and keeps silent. He doesn't propose because it's risky, but he doesn't do anything to forget how he feels about the boy either. He just silently waits for his feelings to disappear or for Donghyuck to miraculously reciprocate. Whichever comes first.

•••

> **4 Reasons why Donghyuck is guilty for the mess that is Mark's head and heart (in no specific order).**

1) _He's perfect at everything._ Although people always point to Mark as the kid who is fully capable of doing everything and beyond, Mark knows that's a mistake, because Donghyuck exists. He is the one who passes all his classes with perfect A's, who has piano, volleyball and drama club practices every day and never misses them (like how?), and who also always walks around looking like he just got out of some fashion magazine. It's not healthy for someone to be that perfect, it's not right, and yet he is. Donghyuck can even solve sudoku, and Mark has never met anyone in his life who knows what sudokus are.

2) _He's a pain in the ass_ , which translates to Mark feeling bad whenever Donghyuck is around. It has nothing to do with how annoying he is, although maybe some of that plays a part. Mark is referring to his scent, that terrible, tantalizing smell of the sea, warm sand, bright sunshine and flowers that mesmerizes and makes him dizzy. It's a terrible addiction. 

3) _Half the school is bewitched by him._ For his fun attitude, his perfect height, his long and shapely legs, his caramel skin, his bright eyes and his charming smile. All the girls in his class (and some boys, including those that are not in his class) say his lips are kissable. (Mark thinks the same thing, but spends more time trying not to think about his best friend's lips and how kissable they might be).

4) _The more he tried, the harder it became to pull away from him._ Although Mark didn't really tried, he still remembers Donghyuck's threat to punch him in the crotch if he drifted apart again, so he is not actually pulling apart. 

So Mark is absolutely sure, it's Donghyuck's fault how dependent Mark is on him.

**•••**

What is worse and many times more ridiculous, pathetic and obvious than his crush on Taeyong, is his crush on Donghyuck. Everyone seems to notice it before he notices it himself, and then after he finally admits his feelings out loud, during one of those early mornings when he can't sleep and sneaks into his brother's room to talk, it gets worse because Donghyuck still doesn't notice it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! 2nd chapter coming soon! <3
> 
> (if you want too, hit me up on twt @icexcloouds)


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